Switch-throwing device.



J. WIENER.

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE.

APPLICATIUN FILED SEPT. 1-, I914.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

gummy; J W en er witnemm [HE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHOTD-LITHL,

l. WIENER.

SWITCH THROWING 'DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 19M.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fFIQj i 4/? ;z/////////// m;

o lnve'n toz J Wiener THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOT0-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C

J. WIENER.

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 1. 1914.

mwwmm Patented Apr. 13, 19115.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. Wiener IHE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

IT @AJI JOSEPH WIENER, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SWITCH-THBOWING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 19 15..

Application filed September 1, 1914. Serial No. 859,665.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH IVIENER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Throwing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in switch throwing devices and resides in the provision of a device of the above mentioned character that is particularly designed for use in connection with street railways and which will be durable and efficient in operation and inexpensive to install.

An object of importance is to provide novel mechanism whereby a car on approaching a switch will at the will of the Inotorman operate the switch as desired.

Another object of importance is to provide switch throwing mechanism that is of simple construction, may be readily assembled and disassembled, and is capable of being readily installed.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a plan view of a part of a track showing a switch point and a part of my mechanism operativel'y connected therewith, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1, the switch point being broken away and showing a part of the mechanism in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of the mechanism carried by the switch point, Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through the platform of a car showing the mechanism carried thereby for cooperating with the track carried mechanism in position, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the car carried mechanism showing the frame for supporting it in elevation and in section, Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a detail side elevation of a part of the car carried mechanism, Fig. 8 is a detail plan View of a foot operating member to be mounted to cooperate with the car carried mechanism upon the platform of a car, Fig. 9 is a sectional view partly in elevation of additional frame structure for supporting the car carried mechanism, Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of a swivel connection between parts of the car carried mechanism, and Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the operating lever and handle for the car carried mechanism.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 1 designates as an entirety a curved switch rail, 3 main line rail, and 4 a switch point of the ordinary construction operating between the main line rail 3 and the switch rail. The base of the rail is provided with an elongated recess 5 in its upper face intermediate its ends and mounted within the recess after a manner which will be later more fully described is an elongated switch point throwing bar or member 6. This member 6 is tapered toward one end and at said tapered end upon the upper face thereof is provided with an upstanding lug 7 that is slidable within a longitudinal slot 8 within the point 4 which extends from a recess formed within the switch point 4. Formed on the under face of the bar 6 adjacent to the larger end thereof is a depending lug 9 similar to the one 8 and which is rotatable within an opening formed in the base of the adjacent main line rail 3. It will thus be seen that the bar 6 is pivotally connected with the rail 3 and switch point 4 respectively at its ends.

Arranged radially from the center of the bar 6 at the enlarged end thereof is a pair .of recesses 12 which open at the enlarged end of said bar. Mounted within these recesses 12 and pivotally connected with the bar 6 by means of pins 13 are outwardly and upwardly extending operating fingers 14 that are arranged to extend into the space between the rails 3 and 1 and the switch point dependent upon the position of the switch point, so as to be engaged by car carried mechanism which will be later more fully described. These fingers 14 being pivoted are pressed downwardly by the wheel flanges after having been engaged by the car carried mechanism as above mentioned. To return these fingers 14 to normal position I provide in connection with each finger a leaf spring 15 that is secured as at 16 at one end to the under face of the bar 6 and at its otherend engages the under face of the finger.

oted at two points to the rail base of the rail 3 and to the switch point.

Mounted upon the platform A of a car is car carried, mechanism designated B as an entirety which is designed to cooperate with the hereinbefore described track carried mechanism. The mechanism B consists of a vertically adjustable rod 18 that is slotted transversely as at 19 at its lower end and has mounted in said slot 19 a rectangular shoe plate 20, that is secured by suitable fastening elements 21 which are extended transversely through the lower end of the rod and the plate 20. The-rod 18 is reduced and threaded as at 22 intermediate its ends ata point adjacent the center thereof and from said reduced threaded portion to a point adjacent the upper end of therod, the rod is reduced as at 23 and 'in said reduced portion 23 a longitudinal groove 24 is formed. The extreme upper end .of the rod I 18 is again reduced and threaded as at 25.

gas

The rod 18 is mounted withina supportingjbracket or frame-designated'26 as an-entirety that comprises a sleeve or collar 27 which has formed integral-therewith on opposite sides thereof arms 28 and 29. The

arms 28 and 29 extend outwardly and upwardly from the collar 27 in an inclined plane and then are bent to provide vertically extended portions 30. Formed on the outer faces of the vertically extended poritionsiof the arms 28 and 29 are cylindrical lugs or trunnions 31. These trunnions 31 are .rotatably mounted within bearings 32 that are secured by suitable fastening elements to the under face of the car platform A. Extending rearwardly from the sleeve 27 is man upwardly and rearwardly inclined arm .33 which arm is formed at its free end with a horizontally extended trunnion 34.

'Mounted upon the under face of the car platform A and extending downwardly "therefrom isa rectangular frame 35 that is secured by suitable fastening elements 36 and carries in the horizontal 'or end portion thereof opposed :lugs 37 and 38. Mounted upon the lugs 37 and :38 are helical expans1on springs 39 and 40. Interposed between the adjacent ends of the springs 39 and 40 is the lateral extension 34. ,Formed on the lateral extension 34 on opposite sides thereof are lugs 41 which receive the adjacent ends of the springs 39 and 40. It will thus be seen that the supporting frame or bracket 26 is yieldingly held in vertical position and will give under impact when the shoe plate 20 engagesan obstruction or the fingers l4, sufiicientlyto prevent breakage of the frame or mechanism B.

Suitably mounted upon the car platform A at a point adjacent to the controlling mechanism for the motorman not shown, is a bell crank 42 having one arm extending vertically normally and detachably connected with an L-shaped operating handle 43. The other arm of the bell crank 42 is pivotally connected as at 44 with a link rod 45. Thelink rod 45 is swiveled as at 46 to the upper end of the rod 18. The'threaded reduced portion 25 of the rod 18 is inserted into an enlarged chamber 47 on the lower end of the link rod 45 anda nut 48 is turned on said threaded portion 25.

The nut is permitted free movement within the chamber 47 and a swivel joint is thus provided, also as the rod 18 is slid able within the chamber. The rod 18 extends upwardly through the floor of the platform A a considerable distance and mounted upon therod 18 on the reduced portion 23 thereof is a foot operating member designated 49 as an em tirety that comprises sit ring like body portion 50 which is slidable upon the-portion 23 of the rod 18 and has mounted therein a set screw 51. The set screw 51 is turned so as to engage within the groove 24 and is arranged to slide therein, Extending from' opposite sides of the body portion 50 are arms 52 and 53 which are disposed above the floor surface by resting upon asuitable col- .lar or washer ring 53 and are arranged so that the operator of the car may by kicking or forcing with his foot the arm turn the rod 18.

As a means for automatically returning the mechanism Bcarried by the car to normal position, ,Iprovide a helical expansion spring 54. This spring 54ismounted upon-the main portion of the rod 18 and engages the upper terminal of'the collar 27 and a collar or ring ,55'turned upon the threaded portion v22 of the rod 18. When it is desired to set the mechanism so that theishoe 20 will en- ,gage the track carried mechanism, the handle 43 is pushed or pulled dependent move- ,20 will move the same as described :the'shoe 20 may be inserted.betweentheswitch point 1 and railthat it is spaced from and by turning the rod 18 the switch point may be moved back into its proper position so that the finger 14: is in the proper position to be engaged. The turning of the rod 18 is effected by the operator of the car kicking or pressing with his foot either of the arms 52 or 53 of the member 49. It will be readily seen that with my improved device switches may be thrown as desired in an expeditious and reliable manner.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that Various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as set forth.

WVhat is claimed is 1. In switch throwing mechanism, the combination with a switch point and mechanism carried thereby for causing the point to be moved into different position of a car, a depending rod slidably and rotatably carried by the car and arranged to cooperate with said track mechanism, means to operate said bar, a frame for supporting said bar pivotally mounted upon the car and means to yieldingly hold said frame normally in vertical position.

2. In switch throwing mechanism, the combination with a car, of a depending rod slidably and rotatably carried by the car, a frame pivoted to the car and supporting said rod, spring means for normally holding said rod in up position, means for sliding and rotating said rod operatively connected and being operable from the interior of the car and spring means to yieldingly hold said frame and rod in normal vertical position.

3. In switch throwing mechanism, the combination with a vehicle of a rod slidably and rotatably carried by the vehicle, a frame pivoted to the vehicle and supporting the rod, an arm extending rearwardly of and carried by the frame, a second frame carried by the car, springs arranged within said second frame, said arm being connected with said springs whereby the first frame is normally held yieldingly in vertical position.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH WIENER. Witnesses C. M. FORREST, CHAS. J. OHUSSER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of lPatents,

Washington, D. G. 

